(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a blower system and, more particularly, to a system and apparatus for use in a vehicle washing system for stripping water and other fluids from a vehicle passing through the vehicle washing system.
(2) Description of Related Art
Vehicle washing systems have long been known in the art. By way of example, automatic vehicle-washing systems are well-known and are in widespread use for washing passenger automobiles, trucks, buses, railroad equipment, and the like. A typical system includes a conveyor for moving the vehicle through the installation, and a series of power-driven brushes which are moved around the vehicle under a drenching spray of water and soap or detergent to remove dirt and grease. The washed vehicle is given a spray of clean rinse water, which is then removed from the vehicle using a blower system. The blower system serves to strip the water from the vehicle and dry the vehicle. Finally, after being washed and dried, the conveyor pushes the vehicle from the washing system.
Existing blower systems use inflatable bags that rise above a passing vehicle and blow air from the bags onto the vehicle. As the air is focused and directed from the bags onto the vehicle, the force of the air strips water and fluids from the passing vehicle. Although the air is used to inflate and raise the bags, the bags must be close enough to the vehicle to allow the air to have sufficient force to strip the water and fluids from the vehicle. Thus, in attempting to have sufficient air force yet allow the bags to be close to the vehicle, it is common that the bags actually engage with the passing vehicle. In other words, blower systems of the prior art use inflatable air bags that often rest on the passing vehicle and, in some cases, generate a resounding “thud” as the bags fall onto the vehicle. As one can imagine, vehicle owners typically dislike the prospect of a foreign item falling onto and/or brushing against their vehicle.
To reduce the impact of the bags brushing against a passing vehicle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,592, issued to McElroy, teaches a blower system in which the nozzle of each inflatable bag includes a series of rollers. The rollers serve to allow the inflatable bag to roll across a surface of a vehicle instead of being dragged against the vehicle. Although the rollers may reduce the friction between the inflatable bag and the passing vehicle, they do little to lessen the “thud” impact as the inflatable bag falls onto the vehicle. Further, the rollers, in of themselves, provide no assistance in stripping the water and fluids from the vehicle.
Thus, a continuing need exists for a blower system that softens the impact of an inflatable bag as it engages with a passing vehicle while also assisting in striping the water and fluids from the vehicle.